Passing The Love
People in society today often find themselves attempting to depict themselves as something they are not. Music festivals have the ability to eliminate people’s urge to pass as somebody who he or she is not through an inclusive culture that encourages the audience to express themselves however they desire. Audiences at music festivals come from diverse backgrounds, so no social norms exist that these people could feel the need to conform to. The culture which surrounds music festivals encourages the audience to be different because those differences are what make everybody unique. Because of the inclusive and encouraging culture that surrounds music festivals and drives people to be themselves, the bonds and friendships made amongst the audience members becomes inseparable. Passing as somebody who that person truly is not in order to portray a false image of who they really are is a result of the norms of society today--which people feel forced to confine to; however, music festivals have the capability to erase those norms and free people of the urge to be somebody or something he or she is not.
Part of the inclusive culture present at music festivals is the judgement-free environment. Everybody at music festivals is there for one reason: to enjoy the music. People don’t want to waste time judging others for their appearance or actions; instead, they focus on the music and bond with the people--whom he or she might judge if they were elsewhere--that share a passionate love for music. Nella Larsen’s Passing is a novel about about Clare Kendry, a biracial woman who identifies as white and seeks to reap the benefits of being white during that time period. In the novel, Clare completely abandons her background and culture in order to falsify her self-image as something she is not simply because it is convenient for her. As in society today, the urge to pass as somebody who a person is not comes from unhappiness and a desire to have something that you could not have otherwise. Music festivals eliminate this unhappiness and desire that is present in Passing by encouraging the audience to be proud of their backgrounds and express their respective cultures in any manner they wish to. In doing so, people feel special and their uniqueness becomes striking, allowing these people to be free of any judgment and ignore the norms he or she feels forced to confine to in society.
While the judgement-free environment allows people to be free of the need to pass, the atmosphere and vibes at music festivals also has the ability to erase these norms. When an audience comes together at a music festival, it is a magical scene. There is a good, light-hearted mood that accompanies these festivals and it is contagious. Everybody at these festivals comes together and bonds with each other through the music that they all share the same love for. As is at music festivals, everybody expresses his or her love differently, which is why there is no right or wrong way to express it. At music festivals, the different ways of expressing one’s love for music is encouraged, and as a result: no norms are created within that environment. With the lack of these norms, people at music festivals are comfortable with expressing themselves and not having to pass as somebody they are not.
Another factor that allows for music festivals to eliminate social pressure to pass is how the festivals constantly have performances going and music is always playing everywhere. This seems obvious, but when the music projects good vibes throughout the crowd, those vibes expand past that stage and throughout the entire festival. With music constantly playing, the audience is always enjoying themselves, and everywhere they go, a new performer is always there to draw them in. When people are at music festivals they are living in the moment--taking it all in. It would be a waste of time to time to worry about what other people are doing or for someone to get caught up with the fear that others are judging him or her. The short moments in life that people can spend enjoying themselves are too precious to waste, so at a music festival, the time that a person has to enjoy the music must not be taken for granted. The opportunity to be yourself and not have to try and pass as something different only comes rarely in one’s life, but always seems to be present at music festivals.
Music festivals can and do erase the social norms that society creates while freeing people of the urge to act as somebody or something they are not. It is an unfortunate reality that people in society today still cannot accept themselves for who they are, but it is important that places such as music festivals, where these people are encouraged to be themselves, exist. It is a long road to a completely inclusive society, but giving people the opportunity to be themselves and express who they are is a step in the right direction. For people that struggle with self-acceptance, music festivals could be a way to find his or herself, and once that happens, they should work to have that self-confidence in their everyday lives.
Other good reads on music festival culture and the impacts it can carry:
- http://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1193&context=comssp
- https://positivepsychologyprogram.com/power-of-engagement-at-music-festivals/
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